Letters from Harold Edward 'Pompey' Elliott to his family, May 1917 - December 1917 - Part 15

Belgium
20/10/17

My dearest Katie,
I have just this
moment received your Cable
giving me your new
Address. I do hope you
will be as well there as
you were in Surrey Hills
It was lovely to know
that you were all keeping
so well. You will be near
the Beach however & that
is something for the Kiddies
There should be no difficulty
about schools either
there but I wish I were
sure the air there was
as good for you all
as at Surrey Hills. If
it does not suit you
you must just look
out for another place

somewhere else. We are
having a few days welcome
rest at present before going 
back into the line. After this
turn Genl Hobbs promised
me that I can go on leave
This should be about the
beginning of next month all
being well. Also he said

as far as he knew we are
not to attack this time
but only hold the line. Not
that we gain much by that for
the Bosche shelling of late
has been pretty awful. Col
Hearn the well known S.M

Doctor was killed at the 60^th Bn
H.Qs just as we came out &
Major Buller the 39^th Bn Doctor
was mortally wounded in
his Aid Post the same
day ^ but early in the morning
He was a fine fellow & a great

friend of Geordie's. I wonder
how poor Lyn & Mother are
bearing his loss. It is too bad,
what wretched cowards
these Russians are proving
now. They can only kill their
own officers I think.
Thousands of the best German
troops & their Guns have
already arrived here as
I feared would be the case
to add to our difficulties.
I don't see how we can
possibly advance further
here now with all this
frightful mud & slush
hampering us. So I suppose
it will be another winter
for us to spend amidst
it all. Some cases of Trench
feet have already occurred
though the weather is still
quite mild compared to
 

last year at the same time
but the bitter frost & snow may
fall now any time. It rains
every other day which keeps
things beautifully very sloppy.
General Birdwood called
to see me this morning.
He is looking rather careworn
& no wonder for I cannot see
how we are to be kept going
in the field & not a sign of
Conscripton from Hughes
after nearly 12 months.
Now that he is back he doesn't
seem to Care a dump for
us over here.
Theres only Katie that Cares
about her old man. Bye darling
love & millions of Tishes from
your very own Dida. Don
Love to wee Pets & to Baaby &
Nana.
 

Belgium
22/10/17
My dearest Katie love.
The Honor list came out
for this Brigades big fight last night
Mason, Norman Marshall & Neil Freeman
each got D.S.O's. Corp. Stewart got a bar
to his D.S.O. & quite a heap of my boys
got Military Crosses & D.C.M's &
Military Medals. I am delighted that
they have been rewarded, like that. It
shows too the immense importance
the Commander in Chief attached to the
Brigades work. A few were disappointed

but very few.- Len Stillman whose name
I sent in did splendid work little
if at all inferior to those who got
Military Crosses. I must bear him 
in mind for another day & try
& get it for him. The next chance will
be on the King's Birthday next June
unless in the meantime he again
signally distinguishes himself.
Everyone is delighted that Norman
Marshall & Mason have been rewarded
and his own men think the world of
 

2
Corp. Stewart. There was nothing
in this list for your old man me personally
but there is pretty sure to be a C.B.
or K. to my C.M.G. at in the New Year
Honor List - if not before- But as I told
you before it was the D.S.O. I was wanting
more than anything all the time & I
don't care a bit about getting anything
further except that it may delight my
dear old lady. I am of course still
worried about that wretched business
with Mr. Roberts. Mr Lowe sent you
a Cable saying that some arrangement
had been come to & business going on
Satisfactorily - but goodness knows
what I am liable for. What I feel
most is that with this worry on my
mind & often keeping me wakeful I cannot
think things out as they should be & my
poor boys may suffer from that.
I would almost rather know at once
that I have been stripped to the last penny
that have the thing hanging over me 
like this. I have had to tell Mother
a little & advise Lyn if she wants a 

-3-
solicitor not to go to Mr Roberts but if
either of them mention it to you tell them
I would rather it was not discussed
at all as the business may be injured
which will be all the worse for me in
the end. If it can be kept going for a 
time I may just resolve this
partnership & get out of this whole thing.
That will be bad enough in all
conscience as I shall have to begin
with nothing unless something in the
military line turns up at the end
of the war. If it does over here it 
will mean a longer exile than ever
from my dear ones. And how I do
xxxx   xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx  xxxxx xxxx 
xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx yet
dear one we must still thank God that
I am still in this world with you
& not as Georgie & so many many more
are. Everyone is so sorry about Geordie.
I have had some wonderful escapes,
One must think it is only your prayers
that keep me safe amidst so much
dreadful slaughter.

4
We are close up again behind the frontlines -
we moved up yesterday. We hardly got a
wink of sleep last night. There must have
been at least 100 Bombs dropped all over
the place about here. I was & am in a little
corrugated iron hut that has been run
up. On account of the water being so near

the surface you cannot have dugouts except in
a very few places where there is a hill. This
was what set the Germans on building

these reinforced concrete blockhouses

very later than Kitchener put up in Africa

but much stronger - They can be battered

down but only by very big shells & are hard
to hit. They are good shelter for us too

when we take them but the Germans contrary to
us know exactly where each of them is &
even when he doesn't succeed in smashing

them in keeps all the place around them

heavily shelled so it is difficult to get

near them. also the door & opening that

serves for a window is always in the

German side of course & sometimes shells

come in that way as when Major Bullen

was Killed. Please give my congratulations
 

- 5 -

to Mrs Marshall & the Stewarts on their 

boys honors & tell them I am delighted

that their good work has been recognized

like this. Norman Marshall will be A. S.O.M.C

now but Camp Stewart does not get any further 

letters except that in the Army List they will put

his name then the letters "D.S.O. 4 bar" so people

who look at the Army list will always know

Also he will wear in the center of his

ribbon a tiny silver rose. When he

wears the medal in full dress it will have

a bar above it but the rose will not be worn.

I have heard a rumor that their is a

new Australian mail in - Hope there's

some letters from my darlings. Oh Capt Billy

Pearce one of Violet's old Sweethearts who was

mentioned in dispatches for bravery on the

Stokehold of the Sonttard has been killed. He volunteered to

act as a Stoker when she was thought to be

sinking & helped to bring her safely ashore &

got his M.C for bravery at Pozieres

has been killed in some of the recent

fighting. And so the list goes on.

My new Brigade Major & Staff Captain are trying real

hard I am glad to say & I will hope by sorting them up when they go wrong

to make something of them some time or other. Bye now xx

xxx

[*Millions of love & kisses from your

very own Dida Don.

P.S. Please don't think I am fretting myself to a shadow. i am too busy to be able

to dwell on my troubles. I must think of my Boys first*]

 

[*DONATED RECORDS LIST

3297

3rd Series*]

P.S. I hate going on leave

& spending any money now

at all but it is essential

if i am not to break down

with the Strain tat I

should go away at

intervals. After we came

out of this next time which

will be fairly soon if I am

still safe Genl Hobbs

says that I am to take

my 10 days leave. I must

try & spend very little money

though & keep stable for you

Katie. It is a scandal though

that it may all be taken from us